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Month: July 2007

Discover Magazine has an article in which the existence of time is put into question. From the article

The trouble with time started a century ago, when Einstein’s special and general theories of relativity demolished the idea of time as a universal constant. One consequence is that the past, present, and future are not absolutes. Einstein’s theories also opened a rift in physics because the rules of general relativity (which describe gravity and the large-scale structure of the cosmos) seem incompatible with those of quantum physics (which govern the realm of the tiny). Some four decades ago, the renowned physicist John Wheeler, then at Princeton, and the late Bryce DeWitt, then at the University of North Carolina, developed an extraordinary equation that provides a possible framework for unifying relativity and quantum mechanics. But the Wheeler-­DeWitt equation has always been controversial, in part because it adds yet another, even more baffling twist to our understanding of time.

Followed by some more scientific mumbo-jumbo. My real interest is that it may be the best excuse ever. I can see it now.

Al Gore was great when he just stuck to cameos on Futurama instead of staging large worldwide concerts so some bands bass player can make me aware of the issues of climate change. I’m aware of the effects of climate change. That’s why I’m not sure why very few people have chimed in about the staggering environmental impact of staging such an event is. From the Daily Mail:

The most conservative assessment of the flights being taken by its superstars is that they are flying an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts – nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transport their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher.

The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists’ and spectators’ travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com, who specialises in such calculations.

Throw in the television audience and it comes to a staggering 74,500 tonnes. In comparison, the average Briton produces ten tonnes in a year.

The concert will also generate some 1,025 tonnes of waste at the concert stadiums – much of which will go directly into landfill sites.

Al Gore is claiming the event will be carbon neutral which is a way of deferring your environmental guilt by paying someone to plant trees somewhere else in the world. It’s the glitterati way of having one’s cake and eating it too.

How is this proactive? Oh shit! It isn’t. How about this? You not stage environmental-unfriendly events in the name of environmentalism and I’ll stop being a cranky asshole. Never mind, fuck the environment. Being a crank is much more fun.